During 2014, the trade show centre will host eight major international congresses, with the attendance of over 50,000 professionals, generating over 150,000 overnight stays for Madrid’s hotel industry.
IFEMA will get the ball rolling in 2014 with FITUR, one of the year’s first international tourism fairs, which will be followed by another 74 shows and congresses, as well as over 500 business events, attracting more than 32,000 companies from different industries and 2.8 million visitors. The facility’s agenda will mark the turning point for Madrid’s trade show agenda, with an estimated growth of 10-15% in several areas such as participating companies and occupation in sqm and over 20% in visitor numbers with respect to 2013.
This will reinforce the economic impact that IFEMA’s business tourism activities have for Madrid, estimated at around 2 billion euros. With 31, IFEMA consolidates yet again its position as the facility hosting the largest number of international trade fairs, according to statistics released by the Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, representing more than 35% of the total held number held in Spain, and nearly 10% more than Barcelona, second in the ranking.
In this context, it is important to note that so to strengthen IFEMA’s aim to internationalise its activity and boost Spanish exports, in 2014 over 3 million euros will be earmarked for campaigns to attract foreign buyers and promote the facility abroad. Additionally, IFEMA is striving to help companies to participate at its trade fairs by offering them economic incentives; in the last four years, service prices and rates have fallen by up to 20%. This is due to IFEMA’s enormous financial capacity, since it has zero debt and a very healthy balance sheet and it is the only exhibition centre in Spain that does not receive government subsidies or funds.
IFEMA reinforces its international prestige in congresses
Congresses and conventions will also carry a lot of weight in IFEMA’s 2014 event agenda, whose growing international importance has resulted in Madrid occupying 4th place in the ICCA world congress ranking. In total, IFEMA will hold eight large global and European congresses, five of which will be medical or scientific, which, together with two other major domestic congresses in these fields, will consolidate IFEMA’s position as one of the world’s leading medical event venues.
These congresses will attract around 50,000 professionals from all over the world (85% from abroad), generating in the region of 150,000 overnight stays for the city’s hotel industry.
The following events are scheduled to take place in 2014: the World ATM (Air Traffic Management) Conference in March; the AEO (Authorised Economic Operator) Congress in April; the 24th EWMA (European Wound Management Association) congress in May; the EAS (European Atherosclerosis Society) Congress in June; the WPA (World Psychiatric Association) Congress and the ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology) Congress, both in September; the HUPO (Human Proteome Organization) Congress , and the IbSTT (Iberian Society for Trenchless Technology), both in October; in addition to the following domestic events: the SEH-LELHA (Spanish Society of High Blood Pressure and League against High Blood Pressure) Congress in March; and SECPAL (Spanish Society of Palliative Care) Congress in November.
As a result of its growing capacity for hosting major congress infrastructures and services, IFEMA has already confirmed another 10 international congress for 2015, with the participation of over 65,000 professional visitors, some of which will be held in Madrid for the first time, thus following the footsteps of other major international congress that chose Madrid in the face of strong opposition, such as the CPhI Worldwide (pharma industry) and the technology fairs SAP TechEd and Microsoft TechEd Europe.
New projects and markets will consolidate IFEMA’s internationalization
One of the chief milestones reached in 2013 was the internationalisation of some of IFEMA’s signature trade fairs, as result of the facility’s entrance in markets such as China and Chile. In 2014, this objective will more ambitious, since the aim is to develop new sectors, trade fairs and markets. Additionally, IFEMA will consolidate its position as an international benchmark for trade fair knowledge, through its role as consultant for the world’s main developing countries.
In 2014, IFEMA’s globalisation will be reinforced with the 2nd edition of two emblematic trade fairs – MATELEC China in Shanghai (25-27 March) and SICUR Latin America in Santiago, Chile (15-17 October) – and with MATELEC worldwide global project, which will be extended to Asia, Europe and Latin America in 2015.
During the year, IFEMA’s international activity will also include developing three new trade fair projects in collaboration with local operators: a property show in France, a franchise show in Chile, and a second-hand car show in Italy, where IFEMA will provide its know-how and trade fair models with proven success as regards internationalisation.
Furthermore, IFEMA will soon begin to operate in Peru, where it is planning the organization of its brand trade fairs, related to key potential growth sectors in Latin America, among others. The facility is also collaborating with the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre (ADNEC), one of the leading trade fair operators in the UAE, to develop joint trade fair projects in the future.
